Harold and I looked at each other. Clearly, as apprentice magicians, neither of us even had a clue what the other three were considering.
“I think it might be done,” Aahz said, nodding. He looked at Glenda. “Good idea.”
She said nothing in return. It seemed that as the closer we got to a possible answer, the more sullen and reserved she became. I was still so angry at her for what she did to me that I didn’t care enough to even ask what was happening.
“Okay, to the next problem,” I said. “How do we get down there with enough gold to stop the energy stream?”
“We won’t need much gold,” Tanda said. “Just enough, with a good connection spell, to hook other nearby gold into the blockage. Maybe something gold-plated and flat.”
“A golden shovel?” I asked.
Tanda nodded. “That would do it, I’m sure.”
Harold moved over toward the front door of the suite, near where the grass was planted. He tapped a spot on the wall and a closet door opened. He reached inside and pulled out a golden shovel, just like the ones the palace guys had. It seemed that, in the palace, no cow droppings could be picked up with anything but a golden shovel.
“Okay, we’re set for the gold part,” Aahz said. “Tanda, when we’re ready to try this, can you do the connection spell to hook enough gold into the shovel?”
She nodded. “I’ve done a number of them over the years to build shields and walls.”
“So back to my problem,” I said. “How do we get down there without being run over by the mounted posse?”
Aahz pointed to a spot on the map. At first I couldn’t see what he was pointing at, then I saw it. The very same tunnel I had been afraid I was going to end up down in.